The re-arraignment of convicted billionaire kidnapper Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, known as Evans, was postponed on Thursday at the Lagos State High Court due to the absence of his legal counsel.
When the case was called before Justice Adenike Coker, she inquired about Evans’ lawyer. Evans replied that he was unsure if his attorney would attend.
According to DAILY POST, Evans and his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, were scheduled to be re-arraigned on five amended charges: murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit felony through kidnapping, and additional counts of attempted murder.
Upon questioning by Justice Coker, Nelson Onyejaka, the lawyer representing Emeka, informed the court that he had tried unsuccessfully to contact Evans’ lawyer by phone. “My Lord, I’ve been trying his number, but it’s not going through. I even attempted to reach him this morning, but he’s not based in Lagos,” Onyejaka explained.
State Prosecutor Yusuf Sule then stated that the absence of Evans’ counsel warranted an adjournment. “This has been a recurring issue since the start of this case. The first defendant has consistently delayed proceedings. It’s time for him to secure legal representation in Lagos or engage another lawyer to appear on his behalf so we can move forward,” Sule remarked. He also noted that this case has been pending since 2017 and mentioned that the defendant had previously sought a plea bargain, though it remained unclear if he still wished to pursue it.
In her response, Justice Coker directed the prosecution to ensure that the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) is present at the next adjournment date. “If Evans’ counsel is absent again, OPD can represent him because we must proceed with the arraignment then,” she stated.
The judge adjourned the matter until January 30, 2025, for re-arraignment and instructed Evans to ensure his lawyer is present on that date.
